Health anxiety, cyberchondria, and coping in the current COVID-19 pandemic: Which factors are related to coronavirus anxiety?

Jungmann, Stefanie M.; Witthöft, Michael

doi:10.1016/j.janxdis.2020.102239

Cited by 526 publications

(579 citation statements)

References 70 publications

(118 reference statements)

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“…These ndings are in line with other studies showing, for example, no association between gender and cyberchondria [6] or between age and cyberchondria [19]. However, similar accurate studies have identi ed positive associations between cyberchondria, health anxiety, and COVID-19 anxiety [20], anxiety and health information-seeking behaviours [16], and cyberchondria and gender [19]. The results of the current study suggest the need for wider investigation of socio-demographic factors, such as level of education and health literacy, on the information-seeking behaviours of different populations.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Cyberchondria, Uncertainty, and Psychological Distress among Omanis during COVID-19: An Online Cross-Sectional Survey

Dameery¹,

Quteshat²,

Harthy³

et al. 2020

Preprint

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Background: Frequent surfing on the internet for self-diagnosis and treatment in association with quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic leaves people with uncertainty and psychological distress. The aim was to explore the relationship between cyberchondria, psychological distress, and uncertainty in Oman. Methods: A descriptive correlational study was designed. Data was collected through an online survey from 393 Omani participants using the short-form version of the Cyberchondria Severity Scale, the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale, and the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale. Descriptive and correlational analyses were conducted.Results: The majority of the participants were aged between 18-26 and 45-54 years (32.8% and 30.8% respectively). Almost three-quarters of the participants were female (n= 291, 74%) and half were single (n= 218, 55.5%). No significant associations were found between cyberchondria and the socio-demographic factors or the COVID-19 status. However, significant positive fair correlation was found between cyberchondriac experiences and psychological distress (rs =0.373), and cyberchondria and uncertainty (rs = 0.442).Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first of its kind investigating the relationship between cyberchondria, physiological distress, and uncertainty in the Omani population. Policy makers and stakeholders are encouraged to facilitate the reporting and observation of accurate and up-to-date information distributed to the population to avoid misleading information, and thus reduce the distress and uncertainty related to cyberchondriac behaviors.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Cyberchondria, Uncertainty, and Psychological Distress among Omanis during COVID-19: An Online Cross-Sectional Survey

Dameery¹,

Quteshat²,

Harthy³

et al. 2020

Preprint

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“…As in a previous study on coronavirus anxiety [ 13 ], participants were additionally asked to (retrospectively) rate their anxiety (0 = “no anxiety” to 100 = “very intense anxiety”), in relation to SARS-CoV-2 and additionally in relation to other severe diseases at four time points (December 2019 [first reports of coronavirus infections in China], January 2020 [first reports of coronavirus infections in Germany], March 2020 [increasing restriction of contacts in Germany], and past week). Furthermore, a question on people’s most feared disease (“Which disease/infection do you fear most to have and/or to get at present times?”) with single selection (coronavirus infection [incl.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 88%

“…The predominant cognitive-behavioral model of hypochondriasis [ 10 ] proposes that dysfunctional schemata on health and illness triggered by acute stressors can lead via negative automatic thoughts and via cognitive biases in attention, memory, and interpretation of ambiguous health-related internal, and external information, and evaluation of health threat (combined-cognitive-bias hypothesis for health anxiety; [ 11 ]) to a (mis-) interpretation of potentially harmless body sensations as severe and as a sign of a life-threatening disease (=somatosensory amplification; [ 12 ]). The COVID-19 pandemic could be seen as an acute stressor with the potential to activate these beliefs and schemata and to promote the attribution of body sensations to a virus infection [ 13 ]. It can, thereby, trigger anxiety, health anxiety, and specific fears of COVID-19 [ 14 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Emotional and Behavioral Consequences of the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Health Anxiety, Intolerance of Uncertainty, and Distress (In)Tolerance

Sauer

Jungmann

Witthöft

2020

IJERPH

Self Cite

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The COVID-19 pandemic represents a worldwide threat to mental health. To optimize the allocation of health care resources, research on specific vulnerability factors, such as health anxiety, intolerance of uncertainty, and distress (in)tolerance, and particularly their effect on the time course of SARS-CoV-2 related anxiety appears crucial for supporting high risk groups suffering from elevated mental distress during the pandemic. N = 887 participants (78.4% female; Mage = 38.15, SD = 17.04) completed an online survey in Germany (April to mid-May 2020), comprising measures of SARS-CoV-2 related anxiety, health anxiety, safety and preventive behavior, intolerance of uncertainty, and distress intolerance. Higher levels of health anxiety pre and during COVID-19 were associated with an initially intensified increase (b = 1.10, p < 0.001), but later on a more rapid dampening (b = −0.18, p < 0.001) of SARS-CoV-2 related anxiety. SARS-CoV-2 related preventive behavior was intensified by both pre (b = 0.06, p = 0.01) and during (b = 0.15, p < 0.001) COVID-19 health anxiety, while reassurance behavior only was associated with health anxiety during COVID-19 (b = 0.14, p < 0.001). Distress intolerance and intolerance of uncertainty did not moderate the relationship between health anxiety and SARS-CoV-2 related anxiety and behavior. The results suggest detrimental effects of health anxiety on the emotional and behavioral response to virus outbreaks.

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“…During the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, governing bodies worldwide took decisive action to protect their citizens against the novel coronavirus by enforcing public lockdown and closing all non-essential services [1]. Although such measures helped to "flatten the curve" and minimize infection rates, the restrictions also had unforeseen consequences on citizens' health and well-being in that pandemic-related concerns amplified mental distress of citizens worldwide [2][3][4][5][6][7][8]. A major concern is that psychological distress can quickly deteriorate into mental illness, even for people without a prior diagnosis [9]; though susceptibility varies by age [10] and income [11], with younger and low income being more susceptible.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Mental Health Paradox: Mental health was both a motivator and barrier to physical activity during the COVID-19 pandemic

Marashi

Nicholson

Ogrodnik

et al. 2020

Preprint

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The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the mental health, physical activity, and sedentary behavior of citizens worldwide. Using an online survey with 1669 respondents, we sought to understand why and how by querying about perceived barriers and motivators to physical activity that changed because of the pandemic, and how those changes impacted mental health. Consistent with prior reports, our respondents were less physically active (aerobic activity, −11%, p <0.05; strength-based activity, −30%, p<0.01) and more sedentary (+11%, p<0.01) during the pandemic as compared to 6-months before. The pandemic also increased psychological stress (+22%, p <0.01) and brought on moderate symptoms of anxiety and depression. Respondents’ whose mental health deteriorated the most were also the ones who were least active (depression r = −.21, p<0.01; anxiety r = −.12, p<0.01). The majority of respondents were unmotivated to exercise because they were too anxious (+8%, p <0.01), lacked social support (+6%, p =<0.01), or had limited access to equipment (+23%, p <0.01) or space (+41%, p <0.01). The respondents who were able to stay active reported feeling less motivated by physical health outcomes such as weight loss (−7%, p<0.01) or strength (−14%, p<0.01) and instead more motivated by mental health outcomes such as anxiety relief (+14%, p <0.01). Coupled with previous work demonstrating a direct relationship between mental health and physical activity, these results highlight the potential protective effect of physical activity on mental health and point to the need for psychological support to overcome perceived barriers so that people can continue to be physically active during stressful times like the pandemic.

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Health anxiety, cyberchondria, and coping in the current COVID-19 pandemic: Which factors are related to coronavirus anxiety?

Cited by 526 publications

References 70 publications

Cyberchondria, Uncertainty, and Psychological Distress among Omanis during COVID-19: An Online Cross-Sectional Survey

Cyberchondria, Uncertainty, and Psychological Distress among Omanis during COVID-19: An Online Cross-Sectional Survey

Emotional and Behavioral Consequences of the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Health Anxiety, Intolerance of Uncertainty, and Distress (In)Tolerance

A Mental Health Paradox: Mental health was both a motivator and barrier to physical activity during the COVID-19 pandemic

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